Signing of Record of Discussions on Technical Cooperation Project with El Salvador: Supporting local government capacity building for social development project implementation

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August 30, 2017

Signing of Record of Discussions on Technical Cooperation Project with El Salvador: Supporting local government capacity building for social development project implementation

signing ceremony

On August 28, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Record of Discussions with the Government of the Republic of El Salvador in San Salvador for the Project for Strengthening of Local Capacity to Promote Local Development with the Life Improvement Approach in the Eastern Region, a technical cooperation project.

The project will advance capacity building for local governments, which drive regional development, in four departments of the Eastern Region of El Salvador for the implementation of social development projects that reflect the needs of residents based on a life improvement approach being promoted by El Salvador.

Although the export of agricultural products, primarily coffee, has grown and the economy has developed in El Salvador, those processes have brought about a sharp economic disparity between urban and rural areas. The Eastern Region in particular, which suffered the most of any region from conflict that lasted until 1992, has undergone extensive damage to its social infrastructure, and the area has not yet fully benefited from the economic growth. The Government of El Salvador has formulated a development plan for the region to better the economic disparity and a Social Investment Fund for Local Development is working on rural social development. The fund will promote a life improvement approach in which self-help of the recipient community is promoted to utilize local resources while engaging in activities to improve lives form five perspectives: food security, environmental protection, health, social solidarity and household improvements. The fund will utilize the experience of the staff members who participated in the Sustainable Rural Development through Life Improvement Approach, a JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program carried out by JICA starting in 2005. The same approach is being piloted on a trial basis in 10 cities, including six in the Eastern Region of El Salvador, and the results show strengthened relations between local residents and government, improved dietary habits, support to the socially vulnerable and other progress while improving cash income. This progress notwithstanding, there is a need to further enhance the capacity of local governments to carry out development projects on the basis of the life improvement approach in order to promote sustainable social development in rural areas.

The present project will build capacity of local governments to formulate a development plan for villages and cities that reflect the needs of residents with guidance from the Social Investment Fund for Local Development, which drives regional development. The aims of the project are to build the capacity to implement social development projects on the basis of those plans and to strengthen relationships among local officials working on development. It is expected that this will lead to sustainable social development projects and contribute to improvements in residents’ lives.

[Basic project information]

Country

Republic of El Salvador

Project title

The Project for Strengthening of Local Capacity to Promote Local Development with the Life Improvement Approach in the Eastern Region

Planned implementation period

November 2017 to October 2022

Executing agency

Social Investment Fund for Local Development

Target region, facilities

Four departments in the Eastern Region: La Unión, Morazán, San Miguel, Usulutánv

Specific project details (provisional)

Provide support for capacity building so that target cities and villages in the four target departments can utilize local resources to implement social development projects based on the life improvement approach, thereby improving the lives of residents while promoting the following:
(1) Formulation of development plans reflecting resident needs and efficient project implementation utilizing local resources
(2) Feedback through monitoring and evaluation
(3) Formulation and implementation of mid- to long-term development plans